London Fashion Week Cocktails

Fashion folk are a fickle lot. One minute the focus is on acid brights and big, bold patterns, the next it’s all about monastic black. That said, having worked in the fashion industry, we can’t help but get a teensy bit excited about the new season’s collections. Not that we adhere to the schizophrenic  forecasts and larger than life trends – we just love the passion and creativity that goes into making London Fashion Week one of the most hugely anticipated events on the style calendar.

Much in the same way we admire the exacting processes that go into creating the drinks on the menus in the most glamorous bars. Particularly those who have devised drinks for a fashion-forward crowd. Take The Dorchester for instance. This style-conscious group is the first hotel to bestow a fashion prize  to toast the most gifted up and coming designers around.

Not only does the winner receive $40,000 plus much valued support staging their show, but the five shortlisted talents get the opportunity to showcase their creations in the Principe Bar Fashion Gallery in Milan. And, here’s the exciting part, they each get to create a cocktail with the Dorchester Collection bar managers in the fashion capitals of London, Paris and Milan.

Each of the hotels will be offering the menu of five oh-so-fabulous drinks including the  Anndra Neen Ruby (red mescal on the rocks with a hint of lime), created by Thierry Hernandez at the Hotel Plaza Athenee and design duo Anndra Neen; Elisir di Giuliette (Elisir di Santa Maria Novella, Champagne brut, fresh raspberries) by Daniele Confalonieri  at Hotel Princippe di Savoia with womenswear designer Guilietta, and the Silent Thunderbird (Maker’s Mark bourbon, espresso, dark chocolate, Kahlua, sugar syrup, coconut cream and double cream) lavishly concocted by Stefani Cossio at 45 Park Lane with menswear designer Siki Im.

Mr G was partial to the Starry Night (White Bacardi rum, Chambord Royal, white Cacao Cream, lime cordial, hibiscus flower syrup), by William Oliveri, bar manager at Le Meurice, Paris and former Royal Academy of Fine Arts student Setareh Mohtarez; while Ms S favoured the Julian Louis cocktails (Belvedere vodka, Mandarine Napoleon, organic apple juice, Monin apple syrup, fresh lemon juice and lemon grass) fashioned by architecture graduate Julian Louie and Guilliano Morandin at The Dorchester, London. The cocktails, priced at £16 each can be enjoyed in the five Dorchester Collection bars from 15 September-5 October.

Vista at Trafalgar continues its Taste The Trends theme with three girly cocktails inspired by the key looks from the catwalk. There’s the Sweet Golightly with basil-infused Gin Mare reflecting the Forties themes at Prada and Gucci; Gemstone Glory (Pommery Champagne, Blue Curacao and lychee liqueur) capturing the opulent mood at Jasper Garvida and Body AMR and The Lady is a Vamp (Black Moth vodka, Mozart Dark and a tot of absinthe), replicating the fetish trends at McQueen and Giles. Each cocktail is £16 and comes with a suitably fashionable Temple Spa Nail Gloss, worth £9. Available until 30 September.

If you’re in and around Fashion Week HQ at Somerset House, take the weight off those Louboutins and relax with a Silk Touch, the specially created cocktail from Nelson Bernardes at nearby Good Godfrey’s. Combining Martini Rosato, port, Barcardi Superior, caramel syrup, lime and lychee juice, it’ll definitely hit the spot in between all of those catwalk shows.

At the Light Bar at St Martins Lane hotel there’s a selection of healthy cocktails for fashionistas including the cleverly named Green Tea-nee – a gin martini with a splash of Green Tea. There’s also the spicy Runway Diva, with a naughty nip of Appleton rum balanced with lemongrass, ginger, cardamom seeds, and the model’s staple – slim line tonic, available throughout the month.

Speaking of slim line, for those counting the calories the Long Bar, Sanderson has come up with a Skinny Cocktails menu comprising of six calorie-conscious cocktails. Try the Mexicana made with green apple, green grapes, tequila blanco, apple juice, elderflower cordial and fresh lime juice coming in at a very waist-friendly 150 calories, available until the end of September.

45 Park Lane, W1K 1PN. T: 020 7629 8888. 45parklane.com
The Dorchester, Park Lane, W1K 1QA. T: 020 7629 8888. thedorchester.com
Good Godfrey’s, Waldorf Hilton, Aldwych, WC2B 4DD. T: 020 7836 2400. waldorfhilton.co.uk
The Light Bar, St. Martins Lane hotel, 45 St. Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4HX. T: 020 7300 5500. stmartinslane.com
The Long Bar, Sanderson hotel, 50 Berners Street, W1T 3NG. T: 020 7300 1496. sandersonlondon.com
Vista at The Trafalgar, 2 Spring Gardens, SW1A 2TS. T: 020 7870 2900. thetrafalgar.com